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Elf
Elves were a race of beings who migrated to Alagaësia from Alalëa in the distant past; around 5217 AC. Humanoid in appearance, they had noticeably angular features, slanting eyebrows, and pointed ears; they were generally tall and slim, and were, according to legend, the fairest people of the land, partly because of physical transformation caused by the dragons' influence on them (and were thus called the Fair Folk). Most elves were more greatly gifted with magic than the other races, and had an innate knowledge of their true names. Skills Elves possessed inhuman strength and speed. It was said by Brom that even the weakest elf can overpower any human with ease. Elves mainly prefer to use a bow and arrow, spears and swords, rarely "bothering" to make any other kind of weapons. They were exceptional swordfighters, and during the Siege of Feinster two elves held off over a hundred swordsmen. The Elves had special skills of working with metal but they never shared them with any other race. They also had a natural affinity with nature. History Origins and Du Fyrn Skulblaka The elves originally inhabited the country or continent of Alalëa, but eventually crossed the sea in their silver ships, either seeking new lands to settle, or as Heslant the Monk stated, "to avoid the consequences of a terrible mistake." When they first arrived in Alagaësia, they viewed the dragons as mere animals; a grave mistake, for when a rash elven youth tracked and killed a dragon as he would a deer, it sparked a terrible war between the two races. The war lasted many years; though the elves repeatedly attempted to alleviate the misunderstanding, they had no way of communicating with the dragons, until an elf named Eragon found an abandoned dragon egg and raised the dragon that hatched from it as his own. When the dragon, named Bid'Daum, was strong enough to support his weight, Eragon acted as an intermediary between the two races, and came to be known as a Shur'tugal, or Dragon Rider. As a result of the pair's peacemaking work, which resulted in a permanent pact between elf and dragon, it was decided to establish the order of the Dragon Riders to maintain stability in Alagaësia. Elves were originally mortal, only gaining their immortality and magical power from the bond with the dragons, much as human Riders do. It is not clear, however, how the effects of a bond with the dragons influenced all the elves, rather than just those of them that bonded with a dragon to become a Rider. The Era of the Dragon Riders The new found link between the races was mutually beneficial; it granted the dragons the gift of speech, and elves the gift of immortality. After the war was over, elves started obsessing over dragons and loving them much more than anyone else, save a dragon's Rider. Later, Anurin, head of the Riders decided to include humans into the pact with the dragons, even though Dellanir, the elf queen, did not approve of it. She evicted the Riders from Du Weldenvarden, then later again allowed them entry. Each human Rider, over the course of time, became more elven in appearance, in addition to gaining immortality. The elves faced great devastation during the war with Galbatorix, during which Vrael was slain and the last three dragon eggs were lost. Following the calamity, the elves effectively withdrew from contact with the outside world, settling deep into the Du Weldenvarden, in their woodland capital city of Ellesméra. Warfare The Elves superior senses, strength, and speed gave them almost insurmountable advantages in battle against the other races of Alagaesia. Elves were skilled in the all the arts of war, particularly swordsmanship (all swords of elven making are stronger and harder than dwarf or human swords, and they never dull or stain) and archery, unlike the armies of Humans, which were normally divided up into infantry, cavalry (most notably King Orrin's knights) and artillery (such as the catapults used by the Empire at the Battle of the Burning Plains). Most Elves seem to prefer fighting on foot, or, in rare circumstances, such as during Arya's capture by Durza, from horseback. It is somewhat in question why an elf would fight from horseback, since, as Arya showed, Elves can run as fast as horses. The Elves do not seem to have any rigid command structure beyond obeying their monarch, or even a formal military. Afterward When Arya accepted the Yawe, she became one of the few elves to venture beyond the borders of Du Weldenvarden, and she earned the disfavor of her mother, Queen Islanzadí, by doing so. Arya, along with her guardians Fäolin and Glenwing, became the courier of the one dragon egg that had been recovered by Brom and Jeod, and spent many years transporting the egg back and forth between Osilon and Farthen Dûr. Through Arya's actions, the elves maintained an alliance with the Varden, while not openly supporting it. Culture Both men and women had equal rights in elvish society; both could be warriors and leaders. There have been both male and female monarchs. Elves did not follow any form of religion; strict agnostics to the point of atheism, they maintained that there was not enough proof for the existence of a deity. When Eragon asked Oromis a question reguarding the Elves' religion, Oromis replied that Elves did not believe in anything. The elves loved art and music, filling their homes with beautiful things. Poetry, such as that of Earnë, was likewise appreciated and organizations such as the Äthalvard were dedicated to preserving these songs. The elves were vegetarians, believing that all forms of life should be respected. They would not have killed anything after being inside its mind and knowing what it felt like for it to be alive. They also had a great love of nature, evidenced by their architecture. Elves did not practice marriage, but took mates for as long as they wanted. This resulted in many short partnerships, which meant that elven children were rare and cherished; at the time of Eragon's training with Oromis there were only two in Ellesméra, Alanna and Dusan. However, the children were more powerful and were said to have a "sheen of energy". An elf's childhood power and grace was said to "wither" over time. Elves did not tend to hold grudges, knowing that they could be kept for possibly millennia. Relationships between humans and elves were rare, due to the different species, culture and the lifespan of both races; however, due to the effects of the Agaetí Blödhren, Eragon Shadeslayer became a half-elven being, acquiring the elves' physical and mental strength, but still retaining many human qualities, such as the ability to grow a beard. Christopher Paolini has stated in a recent interview that half-human, half-elven offspring were not immortal like their elf parent. Instead, they had long lives and most weren't able to have children of their own. Notable elves * Eragon, the first Dragon Rider * Oromis, the last Rider of old, tutor of Eragon * Arya, the ambassador of Islanzadí and heir to the throne of Ellesméra * Islanzadí, current queen of Du Weldenvarden and Arya's mother * Evandar, deceased king of Du Weldenvarden and Arya's father * Laetri, a Shadeslayer. * Vanir, Eragon's sparring partner * Rhunön, the most skilled sword smith in Alagaësia * Blödhgarm, leader of the twelve elves sent to guard Eragon * Alanna and Dusan, the only two elf children currently in Ellesméra * Lifaen and Nari, Eragon, Arya and Orik's Escorts from Ceris to Ellesméra * Dathedr, Queen Islanzadi's chief advisor and second-in-command in war Effects of the Dragon Rider bond While it was at first assumed that elves always looked as they did, after his transformation by the Dragon Spirit during the Blood-Oath Celebration, Eragon acquired an elf-like appearance and as well as their abilities. This suggests that much of the power and 'beauty' of the elves was related to their pact with the dragons, as otherwise, Eragon would not have been able to gain abilities like theirs from the dragons alone. It was also stated that human Riders gain more elf-like features the longer they live and are bonded with their dragon. Oromis taught Eragon that the elves sing to themselves in the Ancient Language to appear as they wish, if they see fit to change their physical appearance. This is evident in the case of Blodhgarm, as well as others Eragon met during the Agaeti Blodhren. Some were described as extremely tall with black eyes, having dragon-like scales, or having gills. Real-world connections Much of the elves' culture contain Japanese overtones, especially their language and practices, along with some elements of Shinto and Buddhist traditions, such as a respect for nature and all life. The elves are most likely, like much of the series, inspired by the works of J. R. R Tolkien. Like Tolkien's elves, Paolini's are much greater and more beautiful than the mortal races of their world. They hold more powerful magics and a greater understanding and wisdom of the workings of the world than the average man or dwarf. However that seems to be where the similarities end. de:Elfen es:Elfo pl:Elf ru:Эльфы Category:Species Elf Category:Magic users